How the Sky has Turned from Golden
by anzafire
Summary: Regina weaves pretty little flowers into Snow's hair, trying to keep images of lighting the curly locks on fire out of her mind. / little!Snow and Regina "bonding" time.


**How the Sky has Turned from Golden**

**Author's Note**: While I firmly believe Regina hated Snow from the moment she learned of the _horrible_ deed the _rebellious_ ten-year-old had done (_oh please_), I also think she played it smart. She needed Snow's trust; and judging by the funeral scene of 1.07, Snow had to have given a _little_ faith in Regina over the years. Despite the fact that she deduced the huntsman was going to kill her on behalf of Regina, I think that Regina did all she could to play an innocent little dove when really honey badger didn't give a shit.

That said, this is a collection of time after the marriage between Leopold and Regina, shedding light on some of her initial burning thoughts of hatred while dealing with Snow, who is ten for the interpretation of this story.

* * *

><p>It's two moons after the wedding before Snow becomes so annoying that Regina has to more than grit her teeth to keep from lashing out at the girl or throwing her out a window.<p>

They're journeying to Leopold's summer palace, just the two of them with a handful of knights and maids — _bonding time_ the king insists. Three endless weeks' worth of _do you wanna_ and trying not to answer with _I'd rather burn a fiery death_. Snow's been prancing through the corridors for weeks, babbling about gardens and ponds and a _swing in the oak tree that's big enough for two_ and the local farmer's chickens who lay the _best, tastiest eggs in the world_.

The carriage ride has been unbearable as the ten-year-old goes on and on and on and on, her never-ending chatter setting as a ringing noise in Regina's ear. "...And tonight, we can have the knights set off the sparkling lanterns — they're so beautiful. You're going to love them."

The queen peers over the top of a book she's been feigning to read and Snow shrugs sheepishly, unable to wipe the all-too-excited smile off her face. "I'm sorry, I know you're trying to read. I'm just _so_ excited. You're going to love it!"

Regina sighs before closing her book and staring out the window. "I'm sure I will, dear. Do you know how much longer?"

Snow yawns and shakes her head. "Awhile, I think. It always seems like it takes so long to get there. Probably because I'm always so excited." She folds her hands into her lap and Regina glances sideways.

"You must be tired. You should rest so you're not too exhausted to have fun when we arrive."

The princess surprisingly agrees and looks to her right before painting on the obnoxious smirk she gets whenever she's about to do something particularly annoying. She rises and places herself next to Regina, curling up in a ball and resting her head on her stepmother's lap. Her eyes close and it's all Regina can do not to squeeze her little brain in right then and there. Rolling her eyes at the ridiculousness of it all, Regina rests a hand in her stepchild's hair, twisting the curls as the girl's breathing evens out.

As Snow sleeps, the queen relaxes, but remains on alert. She doesn't trust a soul in her company and knows it wise to keep vigilant around them. Instead of sleeping, she forms a picture of the summer palace in her head, considering all the possibilities a clumsy, ten-year-old girl could meet a _tragic_ and untimely fate at the location.

* * *

><p>"Snow," Regina says her name quietly, shaking her shoulder. "Dear, we're here."<p>

The pale-skinned child bolts up straight and claps her hands together, completely giddy, practically jumping out of the carriage as a guard opens the door. "We're here, we're here!" She sings, skipping up the walkway to the place Regina already detests.

Ever the regal she is becoming, however, the queen does not set her feelings on display as she steps out — her shoulders set square as she allows a knight to escort her into the front doors, where Snow is already chatting with someone who appears to be a cook. Regina rolls her eyes when she blinks them before greeting the court assembled before her with all sorts of forged pleasantries.

Snow takes hold of her stepmother's hand and tugs vehemently, her bright green eyes lit up beyond a realm of excitement and into borderline hysteria. "Come on! You must come see the gardens! My mother designed them and helped to build them and they're so beautiful! Come on!"

Regina lets herself be drug through several chambers before they reach a back door. Snow opens it, glancing up at her stepmother with a sugary-sweet smile and takes a step into the outdoors before her little heart sinks and face twists into something confused and horrified.

"What...what..." She can't provide sound save for a breathy pants of confusion as she surveys what Regina assumes was once a lush garden area, now overrun with sand-like dirt and weeds. Structures that previously housed plants and vines now lay bare in the blinding evening sun.

The queen looks at her stepdaughter and takes a moment to soak up her misery before fulfilling the role she has to play until the time she can truly enjoy the girl's pain. "Oh, Snow," She kneels next to her and pulls her into a hug. Snow's face molds to her shoulder and every ounce of anticipation the princess had felt in coming to this place disappears into the dusty yard.

"My queen! I can explain," A gardner appears out of the corner of the former garden, wearing a fearful and apologetic expression. "We had a rather harsh winter this past year, one which came early and left late. The grounds hadn't been properly covered and most of the plants were killed in the freeze. When spring came, the annual rains didn't come with it, and I'm afraid nothing has been growing but weeds since we began working."

Snow lifts her face up to meet the man who's ruined the trip for her. "This was my mother's garden," She cries, turning in her stepmother's arms to demand a better explanation. "You were supposed to take care of it."

Her facial features are twisted in such a way that for a moment, Regina feels something akin to actual pity for the girl. Not letting it last longer than that, however, she demands, "What do you intend on doing for my stepdaughter? Shall I even assume there is anything you can do to prove your worth or shall I banish you at once?"

The man steps back. "I-I will assemble a crew of the best gardeners in the city. We'll fix...we'll fix it up and—"

"You can't put back what my mother made," Snow sniffs and dashes back into the palace. Regina takes the moment to reflect that Snow's pain isn't quite as exciting as she anticipated it would be; though perhaps the reason would be because she hadn't caused it.

"The best gardeners in the city should have been here before this even happened. And you clearly aren't among them," She announces to the man who stares on, baffled.

"The-the former queen hired me, personally—"

Regina tilts her head and interrupts him before he gets any ideas, "Do you see the former queen around to save your job? No. I'm the queen now and I'm dismissing you from the premisses. And don't get any ideas about groveling to the ten-year-old princess. _I_ make decisions here. You may take your leave or I will have you escorted out."

Regina watches him slink away with a triumphant smirk before she turns and makes way for arrangements to be made in taking care of the seemingly infertile piece of land.

She is taken to Snow's chamber sometime later, after being given a brief tour of the castle and arranging her luggage into something manageable. Her stepdaughter is laying on her stomach on a padded bench in front of a large bay window, her eyes closed. Regina turns to leave but the girl's voice cries out, "Please stay."

Entering fully, Regina moves toward the window as Snow sits up, drawing her knees to her chest, not worried about improper seating for a lady. "Snow, I'm so sorry your mother's garden is...well, in need of repair. We're going to fix it, dear. I've sent for the best in the city to come and tend to it and I'm sure with some watering and fertilizer, the plants will grow and thrive."

"It won't be the same," The ten-year-old mutters, blinking tears and sucking in a heavy breath.

"That's true," Regina admits, reflecting the girl's thoughts. "I know it is special to you because your mother made it...but, maybe it can be special this time because _you_ can help make it. Why don't you come down in the morning, and you tell those gardeners what it is you want done."

Shrugging, Snow leans back so her head is against Regina's chest. "They won't listen to me. They'll tell me that I'm just a child and—"

"But they'll listen to me," Regina insists, earning Snow's eyes up at her. "You tell me what you want and I'll make sure it happens."

Snow cuddles further into the queen for emotional support and it's all the newly-named regal can do to keep from hurling at the utter notion of snuggling with the root of her problems. Painting on her brightest, most motherly smile, Regina suggests, "Let's get changed and take a walk before dinner."

"Okay," Snow agrees, sitting up and playing with a strand of Regina's long hair before asking, "Can you put braids in my hair, like yours?"

Regina lets her fingers curl into annoyed fists as she nods and Snow jumps from the seat to ruffle through a suitcase for hairpins. She sits expectantly on the bench, her back straight and hands working a ribbon out of her hair. "Do you want two separate braids, or do you want them to come together as one in the back?"

"Separate," Snow replies, bringing her hands together in her lap and Regina's move to her hair, finger-combing curls apart before beginning to methodically braid pieces of hair, one into the other. "Did your mother teach you how to braid your hair?" Snow pipes and the queen keeps herself from pulling her hair clean off her scalp as she formulates a response.

"No, no...I taught myself. I needed a way to keep the hair off my face when I was riding, so that it wouldn't blow in my eyes. I saw how the other girls in the stables wore their hair and modeled theirs."

Fiddling with her skirts, Snow questions bashfully, "Well...could you teach me, sometime?"

"Sometime," Regina replies with as much patience as she can muster, sliding a pin into the first brad and curling the ends of it around her fingers until they stayed in a tame position before moving to the next one.

"Do you know how to tie up corsets?"

"Oh, Snow, you shouldn't need to worry about that for some time."

Snow bites her lip, feeling nervous. "I know, but...I just want to make sure I learn all I'm supposed to, you know, to be a lady. What if something happens...I mean...what if..."

Regina secures the second braid in place while processing what her stepdaughter is fearful of. "You're worried that I might not be around to teach you?" Snow's bottom lip trembles and she nods, once again hiding her face in Regina's neck. At this point in the day, the queen wishes the girl would go back to her overly-happy self; she's no good at comforting a blubbering child she can't stand. "Dear, I have no intention of going anywhere."

"But...neither did my mother and...and..."

Placing a firm hand on the girl's upper back, Regina insists, "I understand your fears. But you're just going to have put a little...faith in me, to..._take care of you_." She smiles, the deeper meaning behind her words lost to Snow who continues to hug her. Grinding her teeth together, she turns to the side and finds a vase of baby's breath. Regina weaves the pretty little flowers into Snow's hair, trying to keep images of lighting the curly locks on fire out of her mind.

* * *

><p>Two weeks into their vacation, when fresh soil has spread over the gardens; with sod and the beginnings of new plants and flowers in place, Regina wakes to the sounds of utter hysteria from down the hall.<p>

She panics for only the briefest of moments before remembering Leopold's caution. _Snow sometimes has...fits, at night. It's been awhile; maybe she's grown out of them...but I suspect there's a few still left in her._

_Fits? What do you mean; she doesn't get her way—?_

_No. She has...sleeping fits. Nightmares, horrible, dreadful nightmares. Usually of her mother. She never discusses the content of them; I imagine she can't even remember given the state she's in. She wakes up screaming, and she sometimes...unfortunately, wets the bed. She requires a great deal of comforting in these cases. I shall pray this doesn't happen while you're away with her._

_Regina blinks a few times as he leaves and growls in frustration. Not a chance in hell she's dealing with a two-year-old trapped in a ten-year-old's body._

With a groan, she lets the chaos continue for a few moments, relishing in the girl's screams in loss of her mother; wishing she could let her own emotion for the loss of her lover bubble over in such away. Finally, she rises and fixes a robe around herself, strutting sleepily to the chamber across the hall. Several maids and two guards are attempting to resolve the situation, but she knows they'll be useless in comforting the child. "Leave us," She says sternly as she approaches the bed, where Snow is perched, her face no longer white as her name, but blotched an angry red as she screams a painful sound in her throat, her eyes blank but dripping tears.

The other occupants of the room wait for further instruction in the hallway and Regina places her hands delicately on Snow's shoulders, careful to avoid the mess on the sheets. "Snow, dear, it's only a bad dream." Her screams turn into shrieks as she's touched and Snow moves her hands over her eyes, shaking her head and making inaudible cries. "Snow," Regina sighs her name, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Snow, you're awake. It was all just a nightmare. You're at the summer palace. You're safe, Snow. I won't let anyone hurt you." And the queen won't, she refuses to let anyone but herself take pride in her stepdaughter's pain. She'll keep the girl safe, until the time comes.

"R-Regina," Snow finally mutters her name and lets out another wail, turning to face her stepmother. "I-I..."

"Hush, dear, hush..." She extends an arm out and Snow falls face-first into her, crying loudly. Regina rubs her back for several minutes until Snow is somewhere in the realm of calm and the queen beckons the maids back in. "One of you draw a bath, with lavender. When it's ready, you can remake the bed. And bring me a towel."

The women scurry off, leaving Regina to continue her attempt at settling Snow. When the maid returns with a towel, Regina assists an embarrassed Snow in removing her damp clothes, earning a mountain of mumbled apologies from the girl. "Oh, you don't need to apologize for _this_, Snow."

She wraps the girl in the fluffy towel and walks her down the hall to a room that is already filling with steam, "Go on, I'll be waiting for you."

"Please don't go," Snow whimpers, holding Regina's hand tightly, her eyes no longer blank, but pleading in terror. "Please!"

Now it's getting ridiculous, but Regina knows that in time, all this mock-coddling will be worth it. "Of course, dear."

Snow tip-toes to the edge of the in-ground bathtub, which is filled with bubbles as several maids run around the area, preparing bottles of soap for the girl to take her pick from. Snow takes a deep breath, wiping tears off her cheeks with the back of her hand before dropping the towel and stepping into the tub, giving an audible sigh as she let the warm water wash over her.

The room is quiet until Snow makes a request to get out and the maids assist her in drying off. Regina is a bit puzzled at the girl's acceptance of her body as others help her while she's completely naked; though she's only ten — Regina plans on doing something about that.

When she's wrapped up and dried off, Regina walks back with her, helping her into a fresh nightgown that has been laid out, then nudges her to the bed of clean sheets. "Alright dear. Try to—"

Snow's bottom lip trembles and Regina's head internally explodes as she sits down next to her on the edge. "Please can I sleep with you?"

At the question, Regina actually does roll her eyes — _does it ever end?_ The last thing she wants to do is snuggle with a ten-year-old who has a bladder control issue. But, being the ever-doting stepmother she is, Regina silently takes Snow's hand and leads her to the chamber across the hall. Removing her robe, she watches as Snow makes herself comfortable before she slides in next to her. She bites the inside of her cheek as the girl curls into her side and the queen closes her eyes, wondering how suspicious it would look if Snow _rolled over_ and _stopped breathing_ into a pillow.

* * *

><p>"Do you like babies, Regina?" Snow questions innocently as the two of them make their way through the market on their last full day of their trip.<p>

The queen's eyes grow soft for a moment as she recalls a conversation with Daniel about _brown-eyed girls on horseback_ before she replies, "No."

Snow appears taken aback but shrugs. "I guess that means I don't have to worry about any brothers or sisters, then?" She smiles and Regina nearly laughs at the preposterous notion of going within five feet of the girl's father which would be necessary to bring about her siblings.

"No need to worry. At all."

Snow takes Regina's hand and the two of them stroll through aisles of fresh-baked goods and summer vegetables. "Are you excited for the harvest ball?"

Regina doesn't understand the never-ending tirade of questions, but she answers them with as much patience as possible. "Sure, dear."

"Last year, I didn't really have a good time," Snow confesses with a sigh. "My mother and I always danced together and it was hard to go without her there. But, this year it will be fun again! You'll dance with me, right?"

"I'm not much for dancing...but I suppose I could make a special case for you." _Maybe a sharp, pointed heel would slide right through her—_

"Oh, Regina, look!" Snow pulls away and rushes toward a booth selling hair goods, where a vendor greets them, intimidated by the new queen's glare. "We should get some for our garden party tonight!"

They're celebrating their last night in style, with the garden Snow's mother planted back and booming with life; the princess insisted upon showing it off to the people of the small town.

"Pick one if you want," Regina says nonchalantly, having never been one for elaborate hairstyles or these other trivialities that keep coming along with royalty.

Snow touches and tries out several different bows before appearing satisfied, until she gets that annoying little smirk and turns to Regina, extending a clip out. "Try it on!"

"I don't really—"

"Please?" She stands on a crate next to the tent and puts it in her stepmother's hair herself, and it's all Regina can do to compose herself and not catch the girl's arm and twist it clear in half. Snow clasps her hands together and grins brightly, "Beautiful! You must have it!"

Agitated to a point past description, Regina lifts Snow from the crate, setting her down just roughly enough to let her irritation shine through for the smallest of moments before tending to the vender and accepting the hairpieces as a 'belated wedding gift.'

Keeping the bile from rising in her throat, Regina leads Snow back to the palace, and the little girl still finds a topic to chatter on about, despite having exhausted anything remotely interesting to discuss in the three-week span that they've been inseparable. In these unbearable moments, the queen considers ending the child much sooner than she originally intended.

That evening, Snow is dressed in an elegant white party dress, her hair secured back by her sparkly new bow. She gallops through the hall to Regina's chamber, where she enters stealthily, planning on surprising her stepmother.

She doesn't expect to find the woman hunched over a chair near the window, a shining ring — not the one given to her by the king — resting in her palm, and her face demonstrates something akin to pain. "Regina?" She blinks, stepping closer. "Are you alright?"

Regina looks up, closing the ring into a fist and painting a smile on for the girl. "I'm fine, dear. Well, look at you..." She spins Snow around in attempt to distract her, "You look beautiful, Snow."

Snow smirks cheekily before putting on her sympathetic face. "Were you thinking about Daniel? I'm sure it's still hard—"

Regina puts on a stern face, "We're not going to discuss that, Snow. I don't want you bringing it up, understand?"

The ten-year-old is taken aback, but nods. "I'm sorry. I just want to help."

"Well," Regina stands and takes her hand, "You can help by leading the way to your garden."

The two travel to the middle of the palace where the new garden is held, and as they enter, music begins to play and the surprisingly large crowd gathered turns to greet their queen and princess, each giving a bow or curtsey as the pair walks by. Snow waves politely and gives greetings to her guests until she spots one she wasn't expecting to see.

"Father!" She cries, forgetting her manners and sprinting to the edge of an arbor where Leopold stands with his arms open for her to jump into.

Regina blinks slowly, dreading approaching the happily reunited king and princess, wanting nothing more than to fade into the background and be left unnoticed for the evening.

Leopold carries his daughter to meet his wife and he makes a brief, yet nauseating speech to the assembled guests about the importance of_ family and new life and blah blah blah_. He commands the party to begin and the three of them make their way to the head seats as the cobblestone pathway becomes a dance floor for the local village girls and a stage for a storyteller. Snow is holding onto every word and Leopold is holding onto her. Regina remains unamused, sitting straight with her eyes focused on the setting sun as she calculates how much more of the foolishness she'll be forced to endure before she can spend her night alone.

The sky darkens and food is shared as music plays — Snow dances twice with her father before requesting they set off lanterns to end the night in the _most perfect way_.

They set one off as a family, with Snow laughing and smiling and praising their newfound bond and Leopold giving his daughter every once of his attention and Regina ready to hurl. Thankfully, the ten-year-old's energy seems to have limits and within an hour, the three are taking their leave.

Regina enters her chamber and strips of her regal attire, thankful to be completely alone for a few short hours of reflection and sleep before taking off with the _happy-to-the-point-of-stupid_ family in the morning. She returns to the chair she was in when Snow interrupted her that afternoon, only this time she finds a silver hand-mirror to examine her features.

She's still got a touch of tan on her cheeks from days riding horses through pastures, and with her hair down and only the lightest amount of makeup on; she's a far cry from royalty. Tonight she realizes, that if she's going to be forced into this role, she needs to at least reap something from it other than the misery of a ten-year-old girl. With a smirk, she leans back, still staring at her reflection as images of the king lying bleeding on his own throne, and his daughter laying forgotten in the middle of the woods flush through her mind. There's a small laugh as she pictures herself, the queen of the godforsaken kingdom, as if she could bring herself to care about the people — leading armies into battles for her, conquering lands and taking all the riches that would never have been hers otherwise.

She is finally prepared to sleep when the door creaks open and Snow stands in the doorway bouncing on her toes.

"Snow," Regina sighs her name, giving into the annoyance she feels by the girl's presence. "Dear, you should be sleeping."

"I know, but..." She sits at the edge of the bed, her fingers playing with a quilt. "It just...you didn't seem like you had fun, at the party."

The queen takes a seat next to her and cups the girl's chin. "It was a lovely time."

Snow refuses to accept the answer and curls her arms around her stepmother's shoulders. "I just want you to be happy."

Regina stiffened at the comment; her inner monologue screaming to Snow that happiness was no longer a possibility because of her actions. "I will be, in time."

Snow's pretty little green eyes blink sleepily as she questions, "Do you promise?"

_Poison is undetectable._ Regina presses her palm against her stepdaughter's cheek. _Though strangling the brat would be much more enjoyable._ "I promise."

Appearing content with the possibility of future happiness, Snow yawns and paints that _I'm about to be a little bastard_ smirk on her face as she asks, "Can I please stay with you tonight?"

Regina pats the mattress as she moves up, pulling the blanket down for Snow to crawl into. She lays down with a wide smile of her own as Snow snuggles into her side. She realizes, for the first time since losing Daniel, that she has a lot to look forward to.

After all, she has a promise to keep.


End file.
